Fullerton Chamber of Commerce Supports Big Government, More Government interference in Marketplace

It seems a little strange that an organization that purports to support the interests of business would allow itself to become an impotent pawn in a game run by and for city bureaucrats. And yet that is exactly what has happened.

This afternoon the City Council received an e-mail from Theresa Harvey, Executive Director of the Chamber in support of the proposed Redevelopment expansion on tomorrow night’s City Council agenda. The letter attached to the e-mail would be comical if there weren’t so many dues paying members of the Chamber who will get screwed by Redevelopment.

I'm Theresa Harvey and I Have Absolutely No Idea What I'm Talking About...

Harvey starts out by trotting out all the old cliches about infrastructure, housing and business climate. What she utterly fails to mention is how Redevelopment diverts a finite amount of disposable income of consumers from existing businesses to new ones; how it invites bureaucratic interference in business decisions, thus impinging on entrepreneurialism; how it requires business and property owners to endure the idiotic design review process; how it selects favored businesses and “developers” as winners, to the detriment of others. In short: Redevelopment does not work. it is a government ponzi scheme that leverages bonded indebtedness off of property tax revenue; it discriminates against the majority of businesses in favor of a few; and any policy or program that discriminates against the majority of business is, by definition, ANTI-BUSINESS!

Ms. Harvey decorates her tribute to Redevelopment by citing the “charm” of downtown Fullerton. Anyone who has been reading these pages lately knows that whatever charm Fullerton has, it has in spite of Redevelopment, not because of it. Does she support giving away public sidewalks? Does she approve of squandering millions of dollars to move a fast food outlet 200 feet? Does she like giving away free public land to developers? She must. She must like it a lot.

We're the Chamber of Commerce and We Represent the Biggest Business of All - Government!

You would think that the businesspeople on the Board of the Chamber of Commerce would have enough sense to grasp these simple notions. But when you reflect on the fact that our old friend Dick Jones, a government educated doctor, used to be the president of the Chamber, the institutional dysfunction of this group can be discerned in much clearer focus. The Fullerton Chamber of Commerce has become nothing but a sissified adjunct of City Hall, confusing their own alleged mission with that of the City apparatchicks.

To the members of the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce: stop paying your dues until your Executive Director and Board start defending business instead of government expansion and bureaucracy!

I quit the Chamber many years ago. They weren’t representing business they were representing the city government. it all started when Jim Alexander and Dick Jones were presidents. The Chamber became a collection of stooges. The dues were way too high for a once a month open bar. Especially when you went and had to look at all the city employees who showed up for free drinks.

Having once been a member of the Chamber of Commerce, I know first hand that it is purely an organization of people only intent on advancing their own self-interests. That is the self-proclaimed reason why Councilman Jones got himself involved with it when he came to town from Texas. Nobody should be deluded into thinking that they have any interest in doing what is good for the City overall. The Chambers should count the number of businesses that have been displaced over the years by Redevelopment projects. I’ll bet anyone that there are less businesses in those areas now than before the City spent all those millions of taxpayer dollars.

I just read the Chamber letter. That talk of all that “workforce housing” is so p c. Unfortunately, its a crock. Hey Miss Chamber schmoozer, why dont you go count how many “workforce” unit that the Great Redevelopment magicians lost as compared to how many they propose to construct at the 300-400 E. Valencia and West Street boondogle.

You know, now that I come to think of it, this Theresa Harvey also made a big deal about supporting that Jefferson Commons monstrosity – even though it meant the REMOVAL of important office/professional zoned lands and buildings, (and probably businesses that were forced out) over by the 57.

Yes, I believe she used to work for the Boys and Girls Club of F, and I’ll bet she spent a bunch of time impressing ol’ Doc Jones with her executive abilities. What she knows about taking care of business seems pretty thin, although she seems to be doing pretty well with her own.

Harpoon, “You would think that the businesspeople on the Board of the Chamber of Commerce would have enough sense to grasp these simple notions.” As soon as I realized that the Chamber was NOT advocating for business in the free market, I quit the Chamber. It only took me 25 years. The Board is made up of people who represent self interest groups.

NOT ONE PERSON ON THE CHAMBER BOARD IS AN ADVOCATE FOR BUSINESS IN THE FREE MARKET.

Executive Director of the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce Theresa Harvey , calls your business “an under-performing area of our city”. What she is telling us is that we are not WANTED, as if we are NOT working hard enough, not paying enough tax’s. The biatch tells the City Council to vote to condemn all “under-performing business'”. You want to put us out of business and replace us with a business that brings in more tax’s for the city, so that they can subsidize other people to live in Fullerton. And just as insulting is that our business’ are blighted!!!!! WTF???????

In Harvey’s world, it’s out with “Land of the Free”, and in with “Land of Me (government)”.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.